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Not many people study the Science Fiction or the Western genres academically, let alone the two together. Fewer still have an award named in their honor. John G. Cawelti is just such a pioneer in the study of Popular and American Culture. He was studying Popular Culture before it was popular. That’s why we’re honored that he consented to an interview on the subject of Space Westerns. — ed, N.E. Lilly

Change your name, change your profession, change your life… The promise of the frontier is an escape from your old life—the promise is there, whether or not it’s actually kept. — ed, N.E. Lilly

Further adventures of Matty and the Mandroid in this follow-up story to The Clone-Wrangler’s Bride — ed, N.E. Lilly

Tradition says that the Native Americans sold their land to Europeans because they didn’t believe that anyone could actually own it. Supposedly, it was beyond the Native American’s comprehension that any one person could define boundaries, describe borders, and exclude others from using the landscape. — ed, N.E. Lilly

There are a number of standard dichotomies on the frontier: immigrants versus natives; settlers versus nomads; civilization versus nature. I can only surmise that in the far future the new range wars will be fought oil versus solar. — ed, N.E. Lilly

SpaceWesterns.com is celebrating its two-year anniversary here, with a space-story by Mark Twain. It was published as a hoax in the summer of 1874, at the height of “Comet Scare” of that year. — ed, N.E. Lilly

John Whalen brings us another story in his Tulon setting. He asks the question, what’s a man to do when he finds a man that he has every reason to kill at the point of his gun?— ed, N.E. Lilly

This is a story about bravery, steel resolve in a crisis, and putting the needs of others ahead of your own. Originally published in Beyond Science Fiction & Fantasy Magazine, Issue #19, 1991. — ed, N.E. Lilly

“Deuce of Diamonds” is, quite simply, an interplanetary tale of claim-jumping. — ed, N.E. Lilly

Phil Foglio is best known, along with his wife Kaja, for their successful web comic series Girl Genius. Phil is also the creator and artist responsible for Buck Godot. He was kind enough to answer a few questions. — ed, N.E. Lilly